BERN'S STEAK HOUSE Tampa, FL ~ December, 2015

No visit to Tampa is complete without a trip to Bern's. This historic steakhouse is located on an unassuming block, and its dull exterior deftly hides the bordello-like opulence inside. I joined a group of colleagues for a fantastic dinner, and we began with cocktails in the lounge.

When our table was ready, we threaded through the various rooms and were seated in the back of a room framed with a giant mural of the Burgundy region of France. (It would be helpful to go back and use it as a study guide for my WSET Diploma!)

I had remembered that the Bern's wine list was a large, hardbound book, and chained to the table so people don't steal it. This version was unchained, and thinner, but someone pointed out it was something like the 29th printing, so perhaps my memory of a past version was sound!

Bern's has not one but two menu tables for its steaks: the first is a chart of type of cut and thicknesses with various prices, and the second is a table of done-ness. I opted for an 8-oz filet mignon, medium rare, and it came out to perfection!

French onion soup

When you order a steak at Bern's, you really don't need to order anything else; it comes with a salad, a small french onion soup, a loaded baked potato, shoestring onion rings, and vegetables. MASSIVE meal, (but two of us split a foie gras appetizer anyway, because we could.)

I ordered three different bottles of red wine for the table, and the sommelier was incredibly helpful, bringing three glasses for each person so everyone could sample all of the wines and choose whichever he/she preferred. While that incredible wine list is packed with gems for those with no budget, all of my options were around the $50-60 range, and all were lovely. (2012 Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012 Stag's Leap Petit Sirah, 2012 Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz — and the preferences were kind of equal amongst the three!)

Rare section of wine cellar.

After dinner, we were treated to a tour of the wine cellar (this Wine Minx was going around caressing many bottles she passed,) and then we went upstairs to the dessert room for a second culinary experience.

Sample, sample, sample!

(Our Musical Director was getting a humongous kick out of the telephone line to the pianist, requesting the Golden Girls theme song and other cheeky delights.) We felt ensconced in our private "barrel," and all splurged on decadent desserts and beverages. I did the trio of molten cakes (only critique was that they weren't very "molten,") and a sampling of Madieras, which was excellent. Oooh, how I love Madeira!

All in all, the Bern's experience was everything I remembered, and expected, and more. It goes without saying that dining in Tampa is nothing without a visit to Bern's!

Bon Appétit!

Bern's Steak House

1208 S Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606

813-251-2421

YOLK, WHITE & ASSOCIATES, Tampa, FL ~ December 2015

Is a food truck still a food truck if it's more like a trailer? Who cares when it's Yolk, White, & Assc.

Situated at the edge of the small Macdill park (which honors our nations' armed forces) in downtown Tampa, the little trailer shaped like a shed is easy to find from the enticing aromas wafting in the air and the crowd of locals hovering patiently for their breakfasts.

Proprietor Dylan seems to know all of his patrons by name, and is friendly and accommodating.

I had "The English," — one egg, goat cheese, bacon spread, and arugula on an English muffin. Just perfection. A freshly-brewed cup of coffee to boot, and my total was a mere six bucks. (I tipped him two bucks more, because I could tell it was going to be delicious, and because I was utterly charmed!)

Cash only, by the way.

He has a pair of tables set out, but I took my snack to a bench overlooking the river, under a shady tree, and gobbled the whole thing down.

Absolutely worth a visit! I most certainly will return.

Bon appétit!